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RESEARCH JOURNAL # 12
ABSTRACT
Insect repellents are important tools for prevention of insect-borne diseases as well as painful or
uncomfortable insect bites. And one of natural insect repellent is the lemon grass (Cymbopogon
citratus). Determining the effectiveness of lemon grass as insect repellent is the main goal of the
study. Specifically, it intends to apply the Steam Distillation Technique in obtaining the natural
elements and essential oil of lemon grass such as citral and citronella. Using two candies as
observation, one is with extract of lemon grass and the other is without extract of lemon grass. In
fourteen (14) minutes, one candy that without lemon grass, approach by ants but the candy with
lemon grass is just ignored by ants. The study has found out that lemon grass is an effective and
alternative natural insect repellent. The result of the present study would provide knowledge and
information about lemon grass as insect repellent. Additionally, this study will produce significant
Insect repellents are important public health tools for the prevention of vector-borne
infectious diseases (Goddard, 2002). Actions to reduce vector-borne diseases can result in major
health gains and relieve an important constraint on development in poor regions (Amerasinghe,
2006). And this insect repellents help to prevent and control the outbreaks of insect-borne diseases
such as malaria, lyme disease, dengue fever, and bubonic plague (Wikipedia, 2011). Technically,
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an insect repellent is any chemical or natural, that causes insects or other arthropods to make
directed, oriented movements away from the source of repellent. And lemon grass can use as
According to an article of new tech bio, lemon grass is a very popular and used for
medicinal, food and insect repellent products. The lemon grass oils are used in cosmetics, soaps,
perfumes, dyes and odorizes along with thousands of other products. Lemon grass has thin stems,
and the flowers are white, cream or green. It grows around 8 feet in height in some cases with the
majority of species tapering off at 4 feet. Lemon grass is mainly found in tropical Asia in countries
Mauritius, New Guinea and countries in Africa and South America. In the Philippines, it has a
toluamide) used as active chemical ingredient in insect repellent, are now turn to all natural
ingredients as more and more negative data is released. Lemon grass is extremely safe and is listed
on the EPA’s GRAS list (generally regarded as safe). People all over the world have come to rely
on the potent insect repellent properties of lemon grass and utilize it as a personal and area spray.
If lemon grass will be extracted its natural components, and observe it by applying the lemon grass
over a subject that can easily approach by insects, then if it repel the insect away, it is to be an
A. General Objective:
The general objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass as
B. Specific Objective:
1. To get the time (minutes) using stop watch to observe the time and duration of the
2. To observe the effectiveness of lemon grass using two candies, one candy is treated with
The study will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass as natural
insect repellent. Extraction of lemon grass is through Steam Distillation Technique. The
children will benefit the most because knowledge of insect repellent will enable them to
prevent possible disease. Through this study, the knowledge of parents regarding lemon grass
as insect repellent would be increased and prevention could be done to avoid more serious
The focus of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass as insect
candies. One candy will be treated with lemon grass and another candy is without lemon grass.
The study is performed during Christmas vacation. The data used in the research is gathered
A. Variable
1. Ice
2. Water
B. Materials
VIII. Methodology
About twenty (20) pieces of lemon grass leaves was collected near in the house of the
researcher in a vacant lot. Only green and fresh leaves were collected. Additionally, this leaves
is clean and dry to prevent the other organic substance to be extract in extraction process. If
the lemon grass is wet, let it be air dry first before doing the extraction process.
B. Procedure
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The extraction process will be done through Steam Distillation Technique. Due to lack
stainless pot with an integral strainer, a curve pot cover, and a stainless or steel glass receiving
vessel. The Consumables are water, ice, and lemon grass leaves to be extracted.
Most essential oils available today are extracted using a steam distillation process. It is
believed by many to be the only way oils should be extracted. This distillation process really
is quite simple as long as this extraction process is closely monitored, the steam will remain at
a temperature that won’t damage the lemon grass (essential of aromatherapy, 2011).
First, set the pot on the heat source and fill with purified water to level just below the
strainer bottom when it is in place. A strainer will be inserted and fill it with lemon grass leaves.
Clear the space in the center of the strainer to set the receiving vessel. Position the pot cover
on the top in vertically. Make sure that the drip tip is centered over the receiving vessel. Fill
the pot cover as much ice as it can hold. It is not necessary to add water to the pot cover. Boil
it up to 15-30 minutes. Get the extract of lemon grass in the receiving vessel (Ragan, 2005).
Figure 2: The strainer filled with lemon grass leaves and a receiving vessel.
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(A)
(B)
Figure 3: An improvised set up of Steam Distillation Technique. (A) The researchers actual set up
of steam distillation, where extraction of lemon grass is on-going. (B) Labeled different parts of
improvised set up of steam distillation technique.
IX. Observation
Using two candies as observation, one candy is treated with lemon grass and the other
candy is without lemon grass. Put it in the area were ants are present for faster observation in
both candies. Using stopwatch, get the time that ants will approach to both candies and observe
A. Observation
As the result, in the observation of two candies, one is with lemon grass and the
other is without lemon grass. After fourteen (14) minutes, the candy without lemon grass
are now approaching by the ants, but the candy with lemon grass still no ants, because of
(A) (B)
Figure 5: Observation of two candies after 14 minutes. (A) The candy with lemon grass has no
ants at all. It is because the lemon grass repel the ants. (B) The candy without lemon grass. As
you can see, ants are now approaching to the candy.
B. Discussion
Lemon grass oil is an essential oil used in deodorants, herbal teas, skin care
products, fragrances, insect repellents, and for aromatherapy (Dutta, 2007). Lemon grass
and closely related species belonging to the genus Cymbopogon are popular used as insect
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repellents (Trongtokit, 2005) and various experimental studies support its use as an
insecticide of insect repellant (Girgenti, et al., 2002; Heimerdinger, et al., 2006; Magesa,
et al., 2006; Yaday, et al., 2006; Cloyd, et al., 2009; Sakulku, et al., 2009).
Lemon grass is an important essential oil yielding plant. The plant yields lemon
grass oil of commerce after steam distillation of its leaves. And this oil used as insect
(Ghosh, 2005). Citral is therefore an aroma compound used in perfumery for its citrus
effect. Citral is also used as a flavor and for fortifying lemon oil. It also has strong
2011). Citral has a toxic effect on the sensory nervous system in insect antennae (Hapke,
2001) that affect the behavior and physiology of insects. That is why the candy that has
treated by lemon grass can repel the ants because of its citral content that when the ants
smell it using their antennae, it will have a pheromonal effect to it. And another important
constituent of lemon grass oil is the citronella. Citronella oil is also renowned plant-based
insect repellent, and has been registered for this use in the United States since 1948 (U.S.
EPA Citronella Factsheet, 2007). The United States Environmental Protection Agency
considers oil of citronella as a biopesticide with a non-toxic mode of action (EPA Citronella
Registration Factsheet, 1997). And this biopesticide are naturally occurring substance that
control or directly kill or inactive the insects or pests especially the mosquito (Wikipedia,
2011). With these two constituents of lemon grass, it can repel the insects away and protect
The hypothesis was right. Lemon grass can repel insect away and can be an effective
XII. References
A. Journal
B. Internet
Wikipedia(2011).InsectRepellent.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_repellent.
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LemonGrassasInsectRepellent.http://www.newtechbio.com/articles/Lemongrass-as-an-
insect-repellent.htm
Biopesticide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopesticid
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GLOSSARY
2. Cymbopogon Citratus - commonly known as West Indian lemon grass or simply lemon
grass, is a tropical plant native to Island Southeast Asia and introduced to many tropical
regions.
and 7.
4. Citronella - an essential oil obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of
Cymbopogon (lemongrass).
5. Malaria - a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals.
6. Lyme Disease - also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by the
7. Bubonic Plague - an infection of the lymphatic system, usually resulting from the bite of
9. Tanglad - Cymbopogon, variously known as lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads,
Cochin grass or Malabar grass or oily heads, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and
essential oils, and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological or
physical well-being.
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